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April 15, 2016

Seven of the best gifts that blogging can give you

In just two days time, on Sunday April 17th, this blog will turn seven years old. Can you believe that? Sometimes it boggles even my mind, and I've been the one powering the ship, if you will, that whole time!

I was in my mid-twenties when Chronically Vintage kicked off, now I'm less than three months away from my 32nd birthday.

Time tends to move more quickly the older you get. I can remember adults, especially those in their mid to later years telling me that when I was little, and though I readily believed them, it wasn't until I started to experience such myself, that I fully understood just what they meant and how incredibly precious each and every day that we're given on this planet is.

In last year's blogiversary post, I feel like I said a lot of what I had to say until in terms of looking back on CV's life and every word that I wrote then still applies, so I don't feel pulled to pen a similar entry here today.

Actually, for a long time (months) in advance, I wasn't sure what I was going to write in order to mark this exciting blogging milestone. I knew that I didn't want to rush into a topic or simply say "It's my blog's birthday! Yay!" (though I do very much feel excited + happy like in that way).

I pondered a lot of possible topics and even wrestled with some deep emotions regarding certain things that I debated writing about, but when this week approached and I meditated on the topic one more time, my mind kept returning to what a blessing blogging can be in our lives and how very, very much this continual act has enriched and enhanced my world over the last seven years.

I know that I am by no means alone in benefitting and feeling bettered by the act of blogging, especially after a person has been plugging away at it for several years. Blogging, though common in the sense that countless people do it, is a unique experience.

More intimate than many (traditional) websites, yet perhaps less "in your face" than social media can be, blogging deserves its rightful slice of the web and though I know many have moved on from it in recent years, the longer some of us remain here, the more devoted than ever I sense that a lot of people are to their sites and being active members in the blogging community as a whole.

There is no shortage to the number of positive things that can arise from blogging and the handful presented here today are just the tip of the iceberg. These seven things are ones that I have personally experienced, often on a daily basis, throughout my blog's life, and which I'm sure many of you will be able to instantly relate to as well.

Seven of the best gifts that

blogging can give you

1. Blogging helps you to get to know and understand yourself better: I am often astounded by how much this point rings true for me in my own life. I've always been an extremely introspective person who is open to growth, change and self-realization, but it isn't wasn't until I started presenting elements of my life, my work, my passions, and my own past online, that I hit upon many important discoveries about who I am - while also becoming more self-confident through the act of sharing more about myself with all of you.

2. Blogging gives you the chance to help others, as well as to benefit greatly from your peers: This is, hands down, one of my favourite elements of blogging. Whether it's presenting my own knowledge in a post, replying to questions, running the Vintage Secret Santa gift exchange come the holiday season, brainstorming ideas with an online friend, or learning from others, blogging instantly gives you a built-in community and a vital support system that, arguably, is even more important for those of us who are the sole (or very nearly so) vintage enthusiast in our own town.

There is no limit to the ways that you can give and help others when you blog, and in turn that you can benefit from the interactions that you have with your fellow blogging community members.

3.Blogging helps you to filter and grow your thoughts in a really positive way: If I had a dollar for every "ah-ha" or light bulb moment I've had thanks to blogging, I could whittle down my vintage wishlist mighty quickly. I've said it before, but I'll say it again because it really does ring so true for me: creativity - including blog post writing - begets creativity and the far from running out of post ideas, the longer I keep writing, the more seem to come my way. As you hone your attention on a given topic (be it vintage or otherwise), you often become more driven and focused both in terms of how you blog, as well as how you carry out other areas of your life.

4.Blogging makes you a better, more focused writer: Just as blogging can help give us incredible new thoughts and to filter out others that may not have to do with our online work, so too does it help us to hone our abilities and talents as a writer.

I've always loved writing and can't fathom not doing it in one form or another, and I’m sincerely grateful for the ways in which this digital art has helped me to grow as a writer (no matter what context I'm creating in). I don't just mean, of course, that we might make less typos, but rather that it - like practising anything often enough - we become more skilled and confident, which so often translates into posts that are more positively received and a higher quality blog over all.

5. Blogging can help you create incredible friendships: It's true. In this day and age, when so many of our interactions are via things like Facebook and FaceTime, not actually face-to-face in person, the innate need to bond with others that we can relate to is stronger than ever before, and while there will always be difference between online and offline friendships, there are a great many similarities between the two as well.

Blogging can lead to a wide array of friendships, some of which may, ultimately result in bonds that last for the rest of your life. As well, for those who may be highly shy, introverted, deal with anxiety and/or depression, chronic illness, or a myriad of other things that can cause real world social interaction to be a challenge (at least some of the time), blogging is a beautiful way to form the connections with others that we crave, and genuinely need, while still being comfort in our own homes.

6. Blogging teaches you better time management skills: I had a revelation of sorts last year when I decided to dedicate days both to just replying to emails as well as to miscellaneous "this and that tasks. Both have proved to be hugely beneficial and successful in terms of helping me to management my time, just as having a blog schedule had already done for years.

Blogging, when carried out with any degree of regularity, can take up a huge amount of time and whether your site is a hobby, your career, or anywhere in between, we can all benefit from from the constructive ways in which blogging helps us to map out and plan how we're going to spend our time - both on and off-line.

7.Blogging is always there for you: Granted, it might not snuggle up in your lap like a beloved pet or ask you how your day was when you get home like a family member or roommate may, but because our sites are digital worlds that we've created for ourselves, they are there for us 24/7 and are, in many respects, a constant companion.

Just stop and ponder, for example, how much time you've spent thinking about your blog? I promise you that there are many people in your life, even some that you love and care about dearly, that you've not devoted anywhere near as much time to over the years.

The relationship that that we have with our blog is, likewise, often akin to those with a human being or pet, too. There are highs and lows, points of frustration, great joys, new experiences, new challenges, and the need to continually (if only subconsciously) recommit ourselves to being a part of that union day in and day out.

{The act of blogging itself can be a gift that keeps on giving and one that I feel especially lucky, on the eve of my site's birthday, to have been able to learn from, teach others about, and be inspired by for so many wonderful years now. Vintage photo source.}

♥ ♥ ♥

Seven is a number that I like a great deal. I was born in the seventh month of the year and my first name has seven letters, so those two points alone help me to feel a kinship with this digit. Much as I have felt since the get-go that 2016 will be, when all is said and done, a positive year, so too do I sense that Chronically Vintage's next year of life will also be a great one – and all the more so because this will be its seventh.

I like to look ahead, to imagine where this blog will go (and sometimes, even, just for the sake of it, to picture what my life would be like if I didn't blog here any longer), but at the same time, the older I get, the more I try to live in the moment as much as possible, too.

For time is, as those grownups told me all those years ago, fleeting and life far, far too short. I feel called, if you will, to embrace the here and now (in so much as it relates to a life lived amongst the pages of the past through my passion for history and vintage) and to never lose sight of the blessings, like those detailed here today, that blogging has given me.

On the cusp of this site's seventh birthday, I ask you, my dear friends, how has blogging enriched your own life and what gifts would you add to this list?

It's awesome that you reached a point where the process clicked for you. I've enjoyed your blog since I moment I first discovered it (which was fairly early on in its two years of life, I believe) and always enjoy seeing what you share with us. From outfits to insights, tips to musings on your life, your blog is a total delight, dear Sylvie.

That is incredibly touching, Ally. Thank you deeply. I adore, appreciate and enjoy the wonderful friendship that we share as well. Thank you, truly, for your unflapping support of my blog and the many encouraging, awesome words you leave here for me each year.

You're such a dear, Pri, thank you very much. It's fabulous that you feel that your blog is one of the best things that you've ever done for yourself as well. I suspect that the same rings true for many of us who have been going strong for multiple years now at this point in time - and that it's a substantial part of the reason why we've been able to keep going and thriving, even with the blogging landscape in general changing so much in recent years.

Congrats on the upcoming 7 years ! I also started my blog in 2009 :) Like you, for me blogging is also rewarding. You're able to connect to people initially by similar hobbies or tastes and then these relationships can develop. You don't have to "wait" to be introduced 1

Immensely so. There have been, in all my life, few things more therapeutic or rewarding for me than blogging (and, more recently, running my Etsy shop). I have both grown as a person and learned to open up so much more thanks to this site and I will be forever grateful to it for those points (and many others).

Big hugs & my sincere thanks for all of your wonderful support here over the years, lovely Linda,

That's fantastic, sweet Natalie! Thank you soooo much for all of your support and terrific comments here. I really appreciate it, and the beautiful friendship we share that grew out of visiting one another's sites and progressing to email writing as well.

Oh, dear Jessica.Has it been SEVEN years already?! Seven dwarfs - and you, the ShowWhite that brings bright mood over the ocean, illuminate this world with "words of vintage" and make this community's heart beat.Truly, you have made this post spot-on.Blogging, for me at least, was a HUGE deal to start in the first place. Once you start, you know it will GROW, however you have no idea HOW it will grow. Blog is, in a way, alive. It expands like the Universe - even it's owner gets to stand back after years of blogging and wonder about the change of his/her creation.Let this blog grow.And let us grow alongside. :)

Thank you so very much, sweet Marija. It really does floor me sometimes to stop and think that this blog has not only existed, but been an integral part of my life for seven full years at this point. It has grown and blossomed, much as I have, too, along the way and enriched my world so vastly in the process. I especially the dear friends, such as yourself, that I have made along journey so far and really look forward seeing what the future holds in store for all of us and our respective websites.

Huge hugs & my sincere thanks for all of your beautiful support here over the years,♥ Jessica

I agree with you that the older we get, the faster time flies :) People told me that when I was a child as well, and I can only say that they were totally right! And wow, dear Jessica, 7 years of blogging is so nice! I also love number 7, in numerology that is my personality number and I have other connections with it. And soon you will be 32 in July, 7th month :) Eager to read a post about it :) I agree that blogging is a unique experience too and loved and agree, totally agree, with point number 5. I made some nice friends, met some in person, share experiences... I grant that it has not always been so, some were nasty, but it happens. We should focus on the good things :) Hope you have an amazing weekend!!!!DenisesPlanet.com

It's difficult for me to express how lovely this post is. It's very clear that you value your blog, and rightly so. To see how many lovely and wonderful things you feel from running this blog is a real joy for me. It's true that love, care and wisdom are evident all through the things you write, and the attention to detail on your outfits, when it may have caused you pain to dress and stand outside, just for us to be inspired is so humbling. It's also clear how much your husband loves you from the pictures he takes of you, and this is so lovely to see. All in all, this blog is filled with love and I truly hope you feel it back from us. I have given up blogging for a number of reasons, but I look forward to your posts so much. I wish you so much success in the seventh year xx

Sweet Emily, you have such an eloquent way with words and excellent ability to see people (and blogs) for who, and what, they really are. I can't begin to tell you how much I appreciate your beautiful comment on this post, as well as your unflapping support of my blog. It is incredibly encouraging and will, I assure you, help to keep my blogging mojo going strong throughout 2016 and beyond.

Thank you very much, Sandra. It's still a little surreal, having officially crossed into the seventh year now, to believe that my blog really is this old. How time flies when you're having a blast filling your life with vintage! :)

Happy upcoming 7th blogging anniversary!!! Wow - 7 years. I'm thrilled to have made it through my first 3 1/2 months lol! I admire how you have stuck with it and I love the points that you have made. They are so true. I hope I can blog as long as you have, I'm sure you've had so many different experiences and memories along the way. Enjoy your weekend.

What a touchingly beautiful comment, Kelly. Thank you very much! All blogging journeys must begin at some point and it's fabulous that earlier this year was just that moment for you. I really hope that your site is able to hit this milestone number as well and very much look forward to being an avid reader of it as it climbs towards that point.

My blog has just turned 4 (a couple of weeks ago) and I couldn't think of much to say about it, but you've hit the nail on the head with this post! What a lovely way to mark the occasion. I agree with everything you're saying here and I've never thought of my blog like a beloved pet, but I love that idea. Congrats for 7 years and here's hoping for many more than another 7 :D xx

You're awesome, sweet CiCi. Thank you soooo much! You have been an incredible supporter of my blog for ages now and I can't begin to put into words how much I appreciate, and cherish that, as well as the gorgeous friendship we've forged alone the way.

First of all, happy blogiversary, Jessica. 7 years is quite an achievement. Reading your post, I can say that even for a novice blogger like myself, some of the positive points you are mentioning are starting to ring true for me. It is certainly true that blogging has enriched my life, that I am getting to know myself better (about time, you'd think, after almost 55 years on this planet), and that I benefit from the interaction with fellow bloggers. I hope that for many years to come, you will continue to share your thoughts with us. Many hugs. Ann xxxx

Thank you ever so much, dear Ann. I adore knowing that many of these points are ringing true for you already and sincerely hope that they continue to do so all the more as time goes on. It's awesome that blogging has helped you to get to know yourself better. I'm constantly amazed, and humbled alike, by how much it has aided me on that front as well.

A very, very Happy Bloganniversary! It is easy to say 7 years have already passed since you began this adventure, but from my point of view it is a wonderful achievement and point that many people in the blogsphere do not reach. I have a friend that had a page/blog dedicated to one of his passions, after just 4 years he closed the page/blog down. It was such a pity to see his page/blog gone! Especially after all the efforts he dedicated to it. Anyway, although I am not a blogger myself I do agree 100% with everything you mentioned in your post. As a reader I have get to know wonderful bloggers (the one mentioned before it is now a friend of mine and we had the chance to get to know each other face to face) and I sincerely hope to get to know more in person if possible (due to distance of course). You already know I have a pending trip to your wonderful country, Canada. If just one day I have the opportunity to visit it, be sure I'll knock at your front door to say hello.Have a wonderful week, keep your spirit up! All the best to you, your husband Tony, your pets and family around... and of course, to your blog.A big hug from Luxembourg/Germany, Eva.

Thank you very much across the board, sweet Eva. You have been such a strong, loyal supporter of my blog (and Etsy shop, too) for quite some time now and I can scarcely begin to thank you for that. You're a terrific person and true joy to know. Thank you for the detailed, insightful, lovely comments you bless my site with and for the friendship we've delved through them and our emails alike.

Thank you very much, sweet Cate. I love Instagram (and a small number of other social media sites), but they will never, ever be the same thing as a traditional blog to me and I have no desire for them to try and take on that roll in my life or career. Words, glorious words, are an integral part of who I am and how I grow as a person, so running a blog has always felt like second nature to me and is not something I'm keen to throw in the towel on anytime soon - no matter how the social media world continues to evolve.

I love how blogging and reading blogs is a way to learn from others. I learn by what others post, and I also learn when people leave me informative comments on my blog posts. I also love the ability to connect with other people that are like minded. I have a personal friend that I can connect with on sewing. But our areas of fashion interest are different. So I enjoy being able to connect with people through the internet who share my passion for vintage and retro fashion.

That's a terrific, and very insightful, point, sweet Sarah. Blogging often helps us to connect with those who share a common interest, even if we (initially at least) share little else in the way of their passions. Through this mutual love our bond deepens and sometimes friendships are even forged. It's a good model, if you ask, for diplomatic relationships the world over.

Thank you very much on both counts, dear Grace. I sincerely appreciate your awesome support of my blog and Etsy shop alike, and am so happy that we've become friends through these lovely interactions (and our fab emails!).

Likewise, dear Inky - truly. You have been incredible supporter of my blog, and cherished online friend, for ages now and I am deeply grateful for both. Thank you for always being there. You're a gem of a woman and I feel so blessed to have you in my life.

Congratulations on 7 years! That's such a long time to be doing this, putting out fantastic content and reaching so many people. And without a doubt, you're definitely one of the best loved, best connected bloggers out there, at least in our particular sphere. It's no wonder, given how kind and thoughtful you are.I think this post really speaks not just to the conversation that we had recently, but to a lot of conversations that I've seen recently about blogging. It's very easy to get hung up on the material benefits that running a successful blog can entail - free things from companies, a broader platform to promote your other ventures - but there's a lot else out there too. As usual, I think your perspective on the matter is very wise, and definitely something for others (myself very much included) to keep in mind with our own endeavors.

What a deeply lovely - and immensely touching - comment. You're an awesome friend and fellow blogger. I've felt like we've hit it off since day one and love that we so often see eye-to-eye on vast array of topics. Thank you, truly, not only for these heartwarmingly beautiful compliments, but for each and every way you've supported and encouraged both my blog and Etsy shop over the years. Such things never, ever go unnoticed with me and I really want you to know just how very much I appreciate them (as I do your friendship).

Thank you sweetly, dear Janey. Same here. Forging not only connections, but genuine friendships with people the world over (yourself majorly included), has been one the most amazing, rewarding and long lasting benefits of a life and career lived so heavily online in recent years. I cherish these connections and bonds and am sure I'll be friends with some of my online companions for the rest of my days.

Thank you, really and truly, for all of the awesome, encouraging support you've given my blog over the years. I appreciate it immensely.

Cheers to you, dear Jess. Congratulations on your blogaverssary. Seven years is a long time and a lot of words have been written in all those years. Your blog is a huge success, known worldwide and has a lot of readers. I admire you and you know I am a true addict your blog.

I also had my Danish blog for 8 years and the English version for 7 years, but it was not successful. I don't cry, it's just a fact. But I loved writing and I loved every single comment. The last year it felt like a duty and it had become a routine, and then I thought it was time to stop. It is now a year ago I stopped and I still often think about "I could write about this". I do have IG so I'm not completely off the wagon. But I have to say that I really enjoy spending my time on all my creative projects instead, they give me so much more energy than my burned out blog. And friendship! I really do consider you a friend and often think of you, although we have never met in person. I feel I know you so well. I hope you have the strength to keep going, dear. Have a lovely day. :)

Sweet Sanne, the friendship that we've created over the years is one of the best and most rewarding aspects that has come from this blog. Not only are you a caring, beautiful person, but you're a relentless supporter of my blog and Etsy shop alike, which I appreciate with every fiber of my being. I adore the many wonderful, varied and enjoyable conversations we've had, be they here on CV, on your now retired blog, or via emails (and Etsy PMs), and think of you often as well. I hope so very much that we are able to meet in person one day, but even if such doesn't come to fruition, I will always cherish and value your friendship every bit as much as those I've had with people in person.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your unflappable support, for being the sweet person that you are, and for reminding me, time and time again of the importance of trying to balance work with relaxation/play (I have heeded your advice there and know the strides I've made on that front were influenced by your wise words big time!).

Happy anniversary, Jessica! Like you, I've been blogging for a loooong time (I started in May 2008, which feels so very long ago), and I've learned many of these same things. It's been one of the best things in my life, that I have ever done for myself. I've met others who share my passion for fashion, I can reach out at my own pace, interact when I wish to, but I always remind myself that I do this for me.

So very happy to have made your acquaintance this year. Cheers to you, my dear!

Thank you very, very much, sweet Shelia. Congratulations in turn to you for having blogged since 2008. You're just two years away from the awe inspiring decade mark. I adore your site and have been an avid follower for ages. I feel so happy that we've formed an online acquaintanceship more recently, too, and wholeheartedly look forward to hopefully being able to meetup in person one day as well (be it here, on the Island, or anywhere in between :)).

Many thanks as well for all of your fantastic comments over the last several months and for being the inspiring, fabulous, and completely stylish lady that you are.

Happy 7th year blogging Anniversary Jessica!! What a fantastic milestone :) I just adore your blog as I know many many others do and I'm glad that you have continued to plug away at it. I'm always inspired by your ideas and creativity and you push me to be a better blogger as well.

That is a compliment of the highest magnitude, dear Liz. Thank you so much, not only for it, but for the awesome support that you've shown both my blog and Etsy shop over the years. I truly appreciate it and love that we're two of just a super tiny number of Canadian vintage folks who are still blogging at this (social media filled) point in time. Here's to the hope that we can both keep at 'er for many more years to come.

darling jessica!you are sooo right! exactly me thoughts and feelings about the topic!!to #4 - i had a lifelong writing blockade - but after hubby pushed me a bit to start blogging - it melted away! and now after more then 3 years i love to write!!! although i´m lightyears away from your great texts - my very talented friend! <3xxxxxx

That's phenomenal! I had no idea that blogging had helped you to move beyond writer's block. What an amazing gift to receive from this enjoyable act. Thank you for sharing that special fact with us, dear Beate - and many, many thanks, from bottom of my heart, for your incredible support of CV over the years. I cherish the friendship we share that has emerged from it and always love hearing from you anytime, anyplace.

Happy 7th birthday to your wonderful blog! Keeping such an engaging blog full of well written, interesting content going for that long is a huge achievement. I agreed with everything on your list and they are lovely points to ponder on.

Thank you deeply, my beautiful friend - not only for this comment, but for each and every kind, supportive, lovely word you share with me here (and via email and snail mail alike) throughout the year. I'm truly happy that we're in each other's lives and hope that we'll always remain, no matter where the wind may blow us and our blogs.

Excellent post! I'm so backlogged on my blog reading that I've only now come to it, but what an interesting idea. I think that social media and blogs can be very helpful to look back and see how I've changed as a person, and it's almost like a scrapbook that we can look back on. I think blogging has helped me also narrow down the things I like, and things that I don't really care about so much anymore have just kind of fallen away over the years. People -- especially women -- have always been encouraged to keep journals, and I think a blog is just a logical, modern extension of that idea.

Thank you very much, sweet Sabrina. That is such a terrific point. I completely agree that blogging, even for an eclectic soul like me, has been a fantastic tool in helping me hone in on the areas of my life/my interests that I really want/need to focus. I love the journaling aspect of blogging a great deal, too, and am constantly humbled by, and grateful, for the personal growth that I've experienced thanks to running a personal website.

Happy blog Anniversary! Loved reading about the seven best gifts that blogging has given you! I can relate to many if not all of these points! For me my favorite things about blogging is the sense of feeling like being in a community and the interactions I have had with other bloggers through reading each other's blogs and also having a creative outlet and having the feeling that I've created something which is a great feeling to have in this consumer driven society and my consumer driven life-- even if it is just the fruits of my consumerism. ;)

Isn't it though? I often, in recent years, stop and think about how blogging has become somewhat like the online version of the slow food movement in the culinary world. We're creating something very tangible (in a digital sense) and forming these amazing bonds with others who share our passions, no matter whereabouts in the world they may be. It's awesome that you find blogging to be hugely rewarding as well, sweet dear. I hope that it always continues to be for you and just want to say how much I appreciate your stellar ongoing support of my blog.

Thank you deeply, sweet Porcelina. I adore that we've both been blogging for multiple years now and that we've formed a beautiful online friendship in the process. Thank you with all my heart for your awesome support of my blog over the years. I appreciate it immensely and so look forward to continuing to share in this awesome digital art together as time goes on.

I agree with all these lovely points ~ but particularly the one about incredible friendship! So many beautiful ladies I've met over the years, and wouldn't have had the chance to without blogging, and I'm so grateful for those opportunities! Congrats on the blogiversary sweet Jessica, many more years of happy blogging to you! *.⋆( ˘̴͈́ ॢ꒵ॢ ˘̴͈̀ )⋆.*❤

Thank you sweetly, dearest Bonita. I completely agree. The friendship element is all the more important for those of us in a niche community like the vintage world, many of whom have few, if any, other folks like us where we live. Being able to connect with others who share our passions, dress in the same general way that we do, and who can relate to the ups and downs of a vintage filled life simply can't be overstated and is truly one of the greatest gifts of the web.

Thank you, with all my heart, for the awesome support that you've shown my blog over the years, and for the wonderful online friendship that we share. You're such a warm, beautiful, inspiring person and I'm very grateful to know you.

I'm Jessica, a lifelong lover of all things antique and vintage, especially those from the 1930s, 40s and 50s.

This blog is my visual scrapbook in which I record and share my thoughts on the multitude of sources, people and products that inspire and feed a modern gal's addiction to the past. I also post about the vintage clothes, hairstyles and make-up looks that I adore wearing.

Stay a spell and have a blast as we explore the incomparably fantastic world of vintage history and fashion together.

All images used on this site are credited to their original posters/creators/sources,
however if at any time you would prefer not to see one of your images here, please email me and I'll take it down right away.

PS...I just wanted to say thank you very much for visiting and to tell you that you're equal parts awesome and beautiful.